-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As investigators are determining whether a skull and bones discovered behind an abandoned Central Virginia home on Saturday are those of Hannah Graham , the lone suspect in her disappearance has been indicted in an assault from almost a decade ago -- a case that police say forensically links him to another female college student who vanished from the same area as Graham .

Jesse Matthew was indicted by a grand jury in Fairfax , Virginia on Monday for the 2005 sexual assault on charges that also included attempted murder and abduction .

According to the indictment , Matthew , 32 , `` did feloniously , willfully , deliberately , intentionally and with premeditation attempt to kill -LRB- the victim -RRB- in the commission of or subsequent to an abduction with the intent to defile . ''

The then-26-year-old victim in that attack was able to provide enough of a detailed description to yield a police sketch , one that years later would link Matthew to the case of Morgan Harrington , the Virginia Tech student who vanished in Charlottesville in October 2009 .

Harrington was found dead the following January . Police at the time said `` forensic evidence '' linked the two cases .

Fairfax County prosecutor Ray Morrogh said Monday that he could not comment on how this investigation and indictment relates to the Harrington or Graham cases , but said `` the facts and details will be revealed in the judicial process . ''

Jim Camblos , Matthew 's Charlottesville attorney in the Graham case , declined to comment when reached by CNN on Monday .

Graham last seen September 13

Graham , a University of Virginia student , was last spotted on several surveillance cameras in Charlottesville 's Downtown Mall area on September 13 . The footage showed her leaving the Tempo Bar around 2 a.m. , followed by a man investigators think to be Matthew .

More than a month later , on October 18 , Sgt. Dale Terry of the Chesterfield Sheriff 's Department and his small search team were finishing up for the day when behind an abandoned home -- just eight miles from where Hannah Graham was last seen -- they found a skull and bones scattered across a creek bed .

`` It was not buried , and its location was not far from the road , '' he told a local television station . `` There was not any crushing of any bones . As far as the skull , everything looked to be intact to me . ''

Nearby was a pair of black pants , similar to ones Graham was wearing when she was last seen .

`` I do believe God wanted us to find what we found , '' Terry said . `` I do n't know how else to explain it other than something inside me told me to just continue to look . ''

After Saturday 's discovery , the weekend 's remaining public searches were canceled so that authorities could focus their attention `` on recent evidence , '' according to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management .

Furthermore , police now consider the Graham case `` a death investigation , '' said County Police Chief Steve Sellers .

`` Today 's discovery is a significant development , and we have a great deal of work ahead of us , '' Sellers said . `` We can not and we will not jump to any conclusions . ''

Forensic psychologist Mike Banks told CNN affiliate WTVR that forensic work could take some time .

`` If it is Hannah Graham , 100 % , then at least they have their child home , '' he said , referring to Graham 's parents , John and Susan Graham .

The Albemarle County Police Department said it did n't know how long it will take for the forensic results to come back .

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Jesse Matthew indicted in 2005 Virginia sexual assault

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Charges also include abduction , attempted murder

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University of Virginia student Hannah Graham missing since September 13

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Human remains were found over the weekend near where she was last seen